The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
by Bleacher27
Summary: A new girl's in town, but she is, well, a little weird. and violent. but ichigo's helping her out anyways. who knows? maybe they met before. ichiruki goodness.
1. Prologue

Prologue/ Author's Note

**Spoilers: Well, if you don't mind me saying, I think fanfiction sucks compared to the real thing, so you shouldn't be reading this anyways unless you are already caught up in at least the anime, and manga too, preferably. If you honestly think fanfiction is worth reading before catching up, you probably shouldn't be reading/watching Bleach then, cuz IT IS THE BEST!!! I'm only doing this and reading fanfiction because I am caught up in both anime and manga, so I do this while I'm waiting.**

Well, rather than have a disclaimer for each chapter, I'm gonna have it here.

Disclaimer for this whole story: Nope. Of course I'm not Kubo Tite… or am I? Muwa ha ha ha ha ha! Gets various food thrown at her ahhhh sorry! Weeeell, the only thing I _do _own is this plotline, which belongs to me and probably about half of the other authors of ichiruki fics. You know, the whole "Ichigo and Rukia aren't shinigami anymore and they are normal humans and they met someplace random …" So, yea. Also, I plan to use a song in here sometime or another. Anyone who likes alternative (no green day ect.) should listen to it on iMeem, or to that bad downloading thing. By Jimmy Eat World, and I'd like to mention that I did NOT download this particular song. I'll mention it in the beginning of the particular chapter, cause then it'd be a giveaway if I tell you now. Now, on with the story!

Okay, I lied. Not much of a prologue, but hey, it's kinda sorta a prologue.

Ichigo rolled over, just barely missing his father's early morning attack.

"God, what the fuck's wrong with you, you demented 5 year old trapped in a 40 year old body?"

"Oooh, Ichigo, you are definitely my son! Dodging my attack in your subconscious while you were half asleep is a great feat for only 10 years of training (yeah, he's been doing this since he was 5)!"

"Gaaaaaaah! Leave me alone!" Ichigo shouted, glancing at his clock, "Get out, get out!" he yelled, ushering, rather kicking his dad out of the room, "I'm gonna be late!"

Ichigo frowned, thinking about the dream he had last night as he quickly pulled a shirt over his head.

"ICHIGOOOOOO!" Ichigo jumped, looking about for his crazy father. He looked out the window to find Chad, Keigo, and Mizuiro looking up at him.

"Ah, I'll be right there!" Ichigo shouted down. He turned around, trying to find his pants.

The dreams he had usually had to do with his mother, but not tonight.

_It was during a Halloween party his preschool had _(A/N: do they celebrate Halloween in Japan? I doubt it)_. He was dressed as a knight, and was talking with his visor down (why, he didn't know. He couldn't see shit out of that thing) to his friend, Keigo who was wearing a skeleton suit. Ichigo was grinning, holding his mothers hand as he talked happily about nonsense, when he suddenly saw a girl in a princess costume trip and fall. He let go of his mother's hand, quickly trying to get to her, to see if she was all right. _

_The little girl groaned. It hurt. So she didn't notice the funny little knight grabbing her hand and asking if she was okay._

"_Ahh!" the girl shrieked._

"_Gaah!" the brave, fearless knight screamed, "Jeez, all I wanted to know was if you were alright, and then you go and do that…" a hint of a scowl appeared before it was instantly replaced with a grin._

"_Sorry…" the princess said, patting her hair to make sure it was still in place. She ignored her bangs, which were constantly in her face no matter what she did. Because of this, along with the knight's visor, they had no idea who the other person was._

"_Are you alright?"_

"_Yea, yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for asking" she said with a smile, staring at his worried face with deep violet eyes._

"_Ichigo!! Where are you?" said a worried voice. It faded away as it moved in another direction._

_His amber eyes widened. "Oh no, I forgot! I left without telling my mom… Bye! I'm glad you're alright!" he called over his shoulder as he ran off in the direction of the voice._

"_Yeah, bye!" she shouted back._

_The little boy found his mom, and shouted, "Here I am, Mommy!" as he pulled off his helmet, revealing a head of orange._

"Oooooooi, Ichigo, are you done yet?" Keigo shouted. Ichigo growled, wishing for nothing more than having his friend there in his room so he could punch the living daylights outta him.

"Hai, hai, be right down."

As they walked on towards school, Ichigo noticed an odd girl with raven hair that hugged her head until it suddenly flares out by her neck. She was walking in the same direction, that is, until she tripped and fell flat on her face.

"E-tai…" she groaned. It hurt. Falling on your face does that sometimes. Ichigo looked at her quizzically, seeing as how she tripped on nothing (yeah, I have a friend who trips on grass, as well as nothing). Ichigo fought the sudden urge to go help her. He used to talk to strangers all the time, despite the warnings he had gotten from his mother, but he stopped after her death. Even now, even though he's no longer a little boy, he still didn't want to help that girl.

"Hey Ichigo, what are you staring at?" Mizuiro questioned.

"Huh?" Ichigo exclaimed, snapping out of his trance, "Nothing."

Ichigo shook his head. _"Why did that memory suddenly come up?" _he asked himself, thinking back to that dream, _"Maybe it's a sign or something…" _but he soon shoved that particular idea out of his mind. He didn't believe in omens or horoscopes anyways.

**A/N: (Yeah, another one) anyways, tell me how you like the setup. I would like to mention right now that I like to swear a lot. So, if it bothers you, then no offense, but too bad. Or don't read it. It's rated teen anyways, so suck it up.**

Fiction Rated: T 

Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes. (I'm 14)


	2. Into the School

**Into the School**

Ichigo sighed. Homeroom was _so _boring. He rested his head on his hand while he listened to his teacher drone on and on. Blah blah blah, report cards coming out blah blah. He knew he had all A's anyways. Suddenly the teacher said something of interest, and a strange new girl came into his class.

"We'll be having a new student today, and her name is Kuchiki Rukia. I hope all of you will be nice to her…" the teacher continued to jabber on about this "Kuchiki", but Ichigo didn't really pay attention. All he could see was that this "Kuchiki" person was extremely short. Her bangs were constantly in her face, and it was all he could do to suppress a snort.

"Oi! Ichigo!" hissed his friend, Keigo, "isn't she hot?!" he shouted whispered (if that makes sense) as his pupils dilated and became two tiny hearts.

"Che. Looks like too much of a shorty to me." Ichigo didn't notice the girl's brow furrow, and her giving him a death glare. Ichigo sighed. At first, everybody thought that Keigo's eyes must have a horrible disease for it to dilate like that, but soon learned that it was just a… condition he was born with.

"…And we'll need someone to show Kuchiki-san around. How 'bout you, Ichigo?" his teacher said, instantly grabbing his attention again.

"No," he said without a second glance. But he did notice the girl's already furrowed brow deepen, and she clenched her fist. _"Jeez, she seems pretty pissed," _he thought, not realizing that

1.) He was the reason for her original furrow

2.) He's the one with the constant frown

"_How dare he say that so easily?" _Rukia thought. She fumed as she started shaking, her face flushed with anger. _"He has no right! I come from a respected family, and he insults me! Kuso, calling me short…" _She didn't notice the class start to stare as she literally started to smoke.

"Wow…"

"I know. She's smoking…?"

She snapped back to attention as she noticed the whispers. "It's alright, Sensei…" she said with a sudden sickly sweetness that was enough to make Ichigo give her a weird look that said "Um… just what do you think you're doing?"

"…I'm sure I can find my way around here." She continued with that voice that made Ichigo want to gag.

"Nonsense! How about you, Inoue?"

"Sure! I don't mind!" she replied with a bit _too_ much enthusiasm, making her classmates stare as she waved her hands around, accidentally smacking Ichigo upside the head.

"Ahhhh! Gomen, Kurosaki-kun!" she quickly apologized to snickers around the room.

"It's alright." He said nonchalantly, his outer calm unruffled, though nobody noticed his eyes throwing daggers at the transfer student who was smirking at him.

"_Who does she think she is?" _he thought, _"She's the new student here. She has no right to laugh at her sempai of this school…"_

Sensei then showed Rukia her seat, which was conveniently next to the bastard who insulted her. _"Shorty… horty …orty…"_ Her eye twitched, just the memory of his arrogant voice made her want to lean over and do the same that Inoue girl did, only on purpose.

"Oi… Oi, Ichigo!" Keigo whispered, "invite Inoue-san to lunch with us! That way we get two hotties! Rukia has to follow Inoue-san anywhere she goes, right?"

"Che. Do it yourself, perv."

"NOOOO! Ichigo, you're so cruel!" Keigo wailed, attracting the attention of the entire class. "Only you can ask Inoue-san and get a positive response," he quickly hissed while waggling his eyebrows.

"Ah ha ha…" Ichigo gave a nervous chuckle, and shot Keigo a glare anyone else would run screaming from at the same time. "Gomen-ne, sensei. We were, uh, acting…?"

She regarded him with a cool stare, and then brightened. "Ah, I see! I love watching a good play. Keep it up!" The whole class sweat dropped.

"EEEHH?!"

"What?" she asked, with a truly confused look on her face. Their teacher is _so_ clueless.

Ichigo sighed and rested his head on his hand, turning his hand-squished face towards the Kuchiki girl. _"She's pretty, sure, but her attitude is killer. Sigh. Oh well. Anything to get Keigo to shut up, I guess." _He thought.

"Oi, Inoue, eat lunch with us today." He whispered. She looked positively delighted. Getting weary of her overexcited-ness, he cautiously backed away from her arm's range after asking her.

"Sure, Kurosaki-kun! Is it okay for me to invite Tatsuki and Kuchiki-san?

sigh "At-dali-mai-da (of course), she's the new student, after all."

"Oooooh. You're so nice, Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue exclaimed.

"Eh? It's only normal." Ichigo said with a confused look on his face.

"Right… it's normal." Inoue replied, laughing it off, "Heh heh heh…"

"Che, don't mean to be rude, but do I have to eat lunch with _him_?" Rukia suddenly scoffed, pointing at Ichigo.

"_Te-me…" _Ichigo thought, looking at her smirk. His scowl deepened, and his face flushed with anger. "Oi, you don't have to eat lunch with me if you don't want to, but see if you can find another person to get lunch from," Ichigo hissed, nodding at Inoue.

Rukia huffed and crossed her arms. "Fine."

"_Heh heh heh. She doesn't know about __**her**__ cooking."_ Ichigo smirked at her. Rukia gave him a weird look, mistaking the smirk for something _else, _something to be suspicious about, and asked "Why do you want to eat lunch with us, anyways?"

"Eh-tdo… Ano…" Ichigo stuttered, realizing what it looked like. "I don't really mind Inoue and Tatsuki, but my friend wants you to eat with us, not me. Of course I don't want to eat with a bitch like you."

"Eh? Kurosaki-kun, who said anything about you wanting to eat with me?" Rukia retorted in that same sickly voice with a smirk.

"Ya-da!" Inoue exclaimed, quickly looking between the two fuming people, "Kurosaki-kun, Kuchiki-san, don't be like that! We can all get along, ne Kurosaki-kun?"

"Hai, hai!" Ichigo sighed as the bell rang. Lunch was going to be interesting.

**A/N: Well, since this is my first fanfiction, I don't really expect it to be a masterpiece. I would appreciate criticism, though. Rude? Brutally honest? I don't care as long as you tell me **_**why**_** I suck. If you would kindly copy and paste the section you dislike and use examples from there, I would appreciate it. If you think this story is good, yay for me, and tell me anyways. Suggestions welcome too. Everybody has writer's block sometime or another, so I could always use some ideas to fall back on.**

**Yay! I'm so excited!**

**P.S. Anyways, I didn't do anything for a whole week. I feel so bad. I went on vacation, and I didn't even bring a notepad to write on since I never write rough drafts or type things up later. So, yea. A week wasted. Tsk. I hope you like this chapter.**


	3. Lunch Time

**Lunch Time**

Ichigo growled as Rukia swung her legs over and kicked his shin as the lunch bell rang.

"Ah-le? Gomen-ne, Kurosaki-kun!" Rukia exclaimed in her horribly sweet voice as she smirked, "It was an accident."

"_Bitch…"_ Ichigo thought as he scowled. "C'mon, Inoue, _Kuchiki-san_. Time to eat," Ichigo inwardly smirked at the thought of Rukia having to eat whatever concoction Inoue could think of today as he rubbed his sore shin.

"Rukia-chan!!! It's a great honor to have you here today along with Inoue! Welcome to this squalid garden of manliness!" Keigo practically shouted in the poor girls' ears.

"Yo, Kuchiki-san," Mizuiro greeted.

"Ah! It's a pleasure… Kojima-kun?" Rukia said, jumping up and waving in response, "And, Asano-san?"

"Correct!" Mizuiro replied, obviously delighted at Rukia's remembrance of his name.

"So, Ichigo, why did you invite us? You know, not to be rude or anything…" Tatsuki questioned.

"Meh, felt like it," Ichigo answered, "And Keigo wanted me to," he added as he heaved a big sigh.

Rukia looked at the ramen bowl minus the soup with sushi and yogurt in it with interest and sweat dropped. She asked "Ano… what exactly is this?"

Ichigo stifled a snort and smirk. _"Ha! Finally getting your comeuppance, are we?"_ he thought, barely able to suppress an evil smile.

"Oh! It's really good! You want to try some, Kurosaki-kun, Tatsuki?

"NO!" they answered in union, a little too fast.

Rukia took a bite and made a face, then suddenly turned to Ichigo and stole some squid off his plate, smirking.

"Na… nani!?!?!?!" Keigo whined, "Flirting with each other, now?? NOOO! You're keeping her all to yourself now, aren't you, Ichigo? You work too fast!!"

"EH!?" Ichigo and Rukia shouted, scrambling away from each other. "She/He's the last person I'd even talk to!"

"Then why'd you steal off my plate?" Ichigo questioned with venom in his voice, a scowl on his face, "Seeing as how I'm the last person you'd talk to."

Rukia cheeks tinted red slightly, responding with equal malice, "Well then, why are you talking to me right now, eh?"

"Whatever Rukia," he said noticing the blush and smirking, seeing an easy victory. He distracted her by messing up her hair, and then elbowed her hard for compensation for the kick earlier. He scoffed, "I'm only talking to you to be nice, shorty."

Her eyes widened and she turned red. _"Shorty…horty…orty…" _the memory set her off, and she suddenly said, with a voice that absolutely dripped poisonous sugar, "_Ichigo_, I have some urgent business I want to talk to you about in private," dragging him off to the alleyways of the school.

The minute they got there, her voice totally changed, from sickly sweet to rough and casual. "Don't you ever call me short AGAIN!" she seethed, and she lost it and tackled him, straddling his stomach and punching him. "Bitch!" they both shouted, along with another string of curses each. Ichigo tried to get her off him by rolling over and punching _her_ as a thank you. But then Rukia suddenly realized what she, one from a family of respect, was doing after the second punch and jumped off, shouting, "I am _not_ short! I'm just… small boned!" then, as an afterthought, said "And don't call me Rukia, _Ichigo_, I don't recall becoming your friend," smirking at his mistake.

"Ei-tai…" Ichigo groaned, rubbing his face, and running his hand through his hair, "Whatever. It's not my fault I feel familiar with everyone, _even people who suddenly attack me, "_ he hissed. He jabbed her in the ribs one last time and slouched back towards Keigo and the others. He thought, _"Jeez, she's fuckin' crazy. Just coming out and attacking me out of nowhere… sigh Oh well, I guess I struck a nerve, by calling her short, anyways," _Ichigo smirked,_ "Che, don't want to get hit again… but she didn't seem to be taking it seriously anyways."_

"Ano… What happened, Kurosaki-kun?" Inoue asked, an uncertain look on her face as he took in Ichigo's ruffled hair and tousled clothes, a mirror image of Rukia.

"Ahh! Inoue-san, we fell down the stairs," Rukia said, cheerily waving off the topic. But the look between Ichigo and Rukia wasn't missed, though the sheer hostility was (I have no idea how). Inoue was expecting a better answer than that cliché one, but she decided to dismiss it. Mizuiro, though, seemed to like to live life on the edge and asked outright whether or not Kuchiki-san and Ichigo were doing things they shouldn't be doing when they left.

…

…

Awkward silence.

"_Why do I do this to myself?"_ Inoue thought, _"Maybe it's time to give up... NO! I won't lose to Kuchiki-san, she's only the new student… no! No, I mustn't think like this…"_

They both turned red at this remark, and started stammering.

"No… _NOOO…_we… no."

"Ha ha ha ha… Kurosaki-kun and I…? _Nooo_ of course not, _never._"

"Yeah yea yea… can't you see we hate each other? Heh heh."

Everyone gave them a quizzical look. They were sure acting weird for a joke. Oh well.

FREEDOM!!! Rukia sighed. Having to sit next to that Kurosaki bastard for the rest of the day was more than she should have to take. Especially after she beat him up, and his friends thought that _they_ of all people were doing something _not to be ever mentioned or reminded of ever again._ She shuddered and turned. Kurosaki looked dead. He was still as red as some crazy who ran around the desert naked for hours. She turned an equal shade, if not deeper, of red at the thought. _"Where did that come from?" _She sighed and glanced at him. What a baka. She watched him pack up his stuff and leave with Inoue, Tatsuki, Keigo, and Mizuiro in tow.

Ichigo glanced back and did a double take as he noticed the "crazy bitch", as he liked to call her, looking at him. He got the same look he got every time somebody did that stupid "bwua ha ha ha" thing and turned back around hastily, at the same time the crazy bitch turned redder and scoffed to herself. Sigh It's the end of the day. He shouldn't have to deal with people like her anymore.

"Yeeeaaaa!" Keigo exclaimed, tears of happiness streaming down his face, "We are finally out and free from the clutches of our evil sensei!!! We should all go to the beach to celebrate, even if for a little while, our newfound freedom! Ne, Kuchiki-san, Inoue-san, Ichigo, Mizuiro?"

"Can't, I've got a date," Mizuiro said, grinning, "It's with this hot older chick I met at the mall…"

"Don't want to. Gotta study." Ichigo yawned.

"Um… sorry, I have to do something…" Inoue said apologetically.

"Ah… I don't want to go anywhere just yet, especially since no one else is going," Rukia said, her voice laced with her horrible acting. Ichigo winced and scowled even more. "Especially since I've just gotten here…"

Ichigo growled, willing for the horrible actor/crazy bitch to shut the hell up so he could scowl and look his signature look, "pissed for life" in peace.

"…But maybe some other time? No, I wouldn't mind at all, just as long as there are some other people there…"

"So, in short, that's a no, right RukKuchiki-san?" Ichigo huffed, getting more and more pissed every second he had to listen to her drivel. Shit. He almost saw her as one of his shudder _friends_ and called her _that. _Besides, if he called her by her first name, who knows what they would say?

"Ya-da, Kurosaki-kun!" she replied sweetly, shaking her head with a somewhat recognizable bashful look on her face, "I was trying not to be rude…"

"Che. Considering what we 'talked' about, you don't really seem like the type to…" his sentence was cut short as she smacked him with what looked like a drawing pad.

"You're being rude, Kurosaki-kun!" she exclaimed, a secret smirk only Ichigo could see playing across her lips.

"Te-me…" Ichigo hissed, a disgruntled look on his face, a fist raised in anger.

"FLIRTING AGAIN???? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Not this again. Ichigo snorted and responded with a well-placed punch to the face. "Shut up." He yelled, his face turning red. _"Wow." _Rukia thought, _"Look at that vein,"_ she switched her weight from foot to foot, bored, as she looked at Keigo fly across the courtyard. Ichigo, still red from a seemingly harmless, regular "Keigo comment", was breathing hard. _"Hmm. Not all that bad looking when he's mad…" _Rukia thought,_ "but his stupid attitude is friggin' annoying," _She quickly thought, as if to redeem herself.

Ichigo sighed as he headed towards home. "Whatever." He muttered. "Ja-ne, mina!" he shouted over his shoulder, scowling as he slung his bag over across his back.

One by one, everyone left. Rukia, deciding to explore the school a bit, stayed behind and did just that. When she finally decided to go back home, she subconsciously patted her pocket where her keys were. Ever since her parents died and left her with her beloved (though she didn't quite show it, since he didn't either) nii-sama, she's been a latchkey kid. Her nii-sama was the head of a big company, or something or other (or so he told her). But since he's always gone on business trips, they don't get to see each other as often as her (overprotective, though he won't admit it) nii-sama would like. She sighed, then suddenly started up.

"**OH NOOOO! MY KEYS!** Gaaah! Nii-sama has just gone on a business trip today… and won't be back in two months!!!" She screamed, attracting the attention of the few people who remained after school, including a certain orange haired someone who forgot one of his books.

"Na—Nan-da?!?" he shouted, running around the corner, having only heard the horrible, earsplitting shriek of a terrified girl. "Oh-mai!" he seethed the instant he saw her, "What are _you _doing still here?"

She didn't notice, still bewailing the terrible, terrible incident cruel fate has bestowed upon her.

Ichigo sighed, finally figuring out what her horrible, worthy of dying-person-being-cut-with-katana screams were about.

"Hey…" he said, pitying her, "do you have any money? Maybe you could stay at a motel or something."

She shook her head, not even noticing that it was Ichigo behind her. "Not enough for two months."

He sighed, and suggested the first thing that came to mind, "How 'bout you stay at my place? I know it's a bit odd, and I don't have lots of room, but it's better than staying out in the streets for tonight." _"Shit. I did not just say that." _Ichigo cursed himself.

"EHH?" Rukia finally snapped back to reality and saw that moron, Kurosaki, offering her his place in her time of need. She didn't want to seem like she needed help, and especially _not from Kurosaki Ichigo_, so, she replied like any other girl her age would've.

"Echhi! What are you doing, baka? Is that how you get girlfriends, eh? You indiscriminately approach girls in their time of need and invite them into your perverted circle, huh, huh?! Why you little…"

Ichigo looked on in dismay, partly because of what his "great offer" turned into, and partly because the people attracted from Rukia's earlier screams were now looking on with interest and disgust as Rukia shouted some more.

"…You should just stuff it, bastard…"

Ichigo grabbed her and covered her mouth and practically dragged her away from the open courtyard, back into the very same alleyway where they fought. "Stop it!! God, here I am, offering my sanity and physical well being (Rukia smirked at this) to be nice and not toss you out in the streets, and this is how you repay me?! Just forget I said anything, jeez," and walked away, still muttering darkly to himself.

"Ma—Ma-tei!" Rukia shouted after him, "Can—Can I really stay at your place?

He scowled, then a sudden softness washed over his face, but for only a moment. Then his usual scowl came back, and he replied, "Of course. I offered, didn't I? But you can't be seen by my family. I hate to imagine what would happen if I tell my dad that I want a girl to stay with us. Besides, it's only for one night, right? It's until tomorrow, when you can find a girl's place to stay at."

"A—Arigato, Ich—Kurosaki-kun." She didn't seem to thrilled at staying at the place of a certain Kurosaki Ichigo, but that was understandable, seeing as how she beat him up earlier today. But she _was_ truly grateful for his action of kindness. "Honto-ni."

"No problem," he said as he smiled, the first true smile Rukia has seen. Little did she know that that was rare sight to behold.

**A/N: Right now, I want you all to know that I suck at typing. Really horrible, not exaggerating. I have some friends who do 100+, but when I was learning (last school year) I typed at about 30+. Granted, I didn't want to improve my time so that my teacher would raise my standard to 40, so… yeah. Well, the usual begs for reviews… drum roll please…**

**OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS PLEASE PLEASE I SWEAR TO GOD PLEASE REVIEW!!!**

**Ha ha jk. Review if you can find it in your heart to just say hi, even. Hope you liked it. And yea, I want them to be living together again. That's when they form most of their bonds, and it's easier to do stuff. Grr. Sorry for this horrible story. Looking back now, it's so cliché and unoriginal, and my writing just sucks in general. Sob But I'll continue this anyways, so read at your own expense. **

**Hmm. I just noticed that this was longer than any other of my chapters. Anyways, I have writers block on about what should happen on chapter 5 (I have it all planned out till then) grr. Well, since this is an extra long chapter, I'm forcing you all to read this absurdly long authors note (for me. I don't usually write this much).**

**Heh heh. Scratches back of neck nervously New topic. I feel guilty. Sorry for not saying anything earlier, but thanks to my first 3 reviewers, AkanaSabaru, BleachedPen, and ginsensu. Thank you! Also, thanks to everyone who bothered to read this crap. **


	4. Spending the Night With the Baka

**Spending the Night With the Baka**

Rukia and Ichigo walked home, in a somewhat uncomfortable silence, which, oddly enough, eased up when Rukia started to hit him, of all things.

"Baka-mono!! When a girl asks politely for a guy to treat her to ice cream, you do it!" she shouted.

"Nanda-tou?? When have I ever been "the guy who pays for your horrible sweet tooth" he shouted back, "Even a five year old would react better if I said "no" to ice cream!"

"Whatever! This new popsicle came out, and it's perfect!! It's strawberry flavored, and even shaped like Chappy! But my brother doesn't like getting any sweets for me, so I never had a chance to taste it." She glowered. "This is my chance! Without nii-sama here, I can eat whatever the hell I want!"

"Eh?! Why do you call him "sama"? Still formal with the man who raised you?"

"Shu—Shut up!" Rukia sideswipes him in the shins, tripping him.

"Gaaaaah! Whatever! I'll get you your stupid popsicle," he growled as he grabbed her hand and dragged her into the nearest ice cream store. Inoue and Tatsuki were talking nonchalantly, sitting at the very front. Damn.

"Kurosaki-kun…?" Inoue asked, her easy going smile fading somewhat. Ichigo quickly let go of her hand.

"Ichigo!?" Tatsuki exclaimed, "What are you doing here? And… Kuchiki-san?"

"Wow… this guy works fast…" 

"Ah ha ha ha ha… ano, Kuchiki-san and I were just getting ice cream…" Ichigo trailed off, scratching the back of his neck. He chuckled, nervous and now really pissed at Rukia for having the nerve to beg for ice cream when he's letting her stay _rent free_ at his place.

"Che, we can see that, Ichigo," Tatsuki replied, a dubious look on her face, "I'm asking _why_."

"Why not?" Rukia asked, completely confused at why Ichigo taking her out (or so it seemed) on a outing to an ice cream place is cause for concern, "Besides, who the hell are you?" she shot back, annoyed at having her popsicle delayed. Tatsuki smirked at the defensive reaction.

"Ba—Baka! It's Tatsuki, from our class!" Ichigo hissed, "And don't say that like that! You'll make them think things!"

"Eeeh? Things? Like what?" Rukia asked, an eyebrow raised, genuinely confused.

"W—Well…" he stuttered, face red thinking about what he has to say. He glared as Tatsuki started to laugh into her hand.

"Yes, _what_ things, Ichigo?" Tatsuki smirked.

"Aaah, forget it," he seethed, and dragged her towards the cashier to pay for the ice cream and hurried out of the shop with Rukia in tow. His hands were now decidedly stuffed into his pants pockets, desperately trying to redeem his image as he walked out looking pissed (as always).

"_Just what was Kurosaki-kun doing? I have a really bad feeling about this… I haven't seen him this at ease (if you could call it that) when a topic like this came up since… well, ever." _Inoue stirred her semi-melted float absentmindedly as she salted it.

XXXXXXXXX 

"Dammit, Rukia, was that stupid popsicle _that_ important?" he glowered as he thought back to the previous scene. He turned redder than his namesake.

"Hey, shut up!" she pouted, "Anything with a rabbit, no, _Chappy_ on it can't possibly be stupid, stupid."

"I can't believe you have the nerve to ask for a popsicle and call your host, _who graciously let you stay at his place_, stupid," he huffed, with a hint of amazement. "And… hang on… Inoue and Tatsuki were just in that ice cream shop!!" he shouted.

"Baka. You even talked to them and didn't notice?"

"Kono-ya-ro (bitch)… no, I meant that you should've asked them if you could stay," he groaned, horribly disappointed at himself for missing the golden opportunity. "Inoue lives alone… lets go back!" he shouted, triumphant at having found a solution.

"Nope."

"Eh?!" he yelled, "What, do you want to stay with me?" he said, in what would've been a teasing tone if it weren't for the scowl and gruff voice.

"Of course not, baka! It's just that if we went back, we'd have to tell them our original plan in order to explain why they should let me stay in the first place," she scoffed, feeling superior since he missed the mistake he almost made. "Besides, we're now one block closer to your house. I don't feel like back tracking."

"Tha—That's your _real _reason, isn't it?" he asked, a face of utter disbelief splayed across his features.

She grinned. "So what if it is?"

He sighed and thought, _"What a lazy ass."_

"Nothing." (Yeah, fear of getting beat up again didn't have anything to do with his answer)

XXXXXXX Ichigo's Room 

"WHAT?!?! Are you kidding me? There is no possible way I'm gonna sleep in your closet! If anything, you should be the good host and sleep there, while I get your bed. Or at least get a futon for the floor!"

"B—Baka!! Don't shout so loud! Besides, how would I explain an extra futon in my room, anyways?"

"W—Well…" Rukia stuttered, clearly at a loss for words.

"See? Stupid." Ichigo smirked. That comment was met with a foot to the face, so Ichigo shut up after that, silently pouting with a red footprint on his face.

"Ichi-nii? Are you alright?" Yuzu said, walking into his room in the middle of cooking dinner, her classic wooden spoon in her hands.

"Ah—Ahh, Yuzu. I'm fine." Ichigo said in an awkward pose next to his closet.

"E-tou, what are you doing?"

"Ah ha ha ha ha… um, aerobics?" Ichigo stammered, his face turning red.

"Ah, oh well. Anyways, dinner's ready, 'kay?"

"Sure. And knock next time you come in!" he yelled after her.

XXXXXXX 

After an uneventful dinner (other than the frequent punch to otou-san by Karin or Ichigo), and Ichigo snuck up his "second helping" to Rukia, Ichigo and Rukia began to talk seriously, for the first time since they met.

"Well, no I…"

"But you can't possibly _need_…"

"Of course not, Ichigo, I don't _need _this to live, but…"

"There is NO way in hell I'm gonna buy you a new Chappy just cuz you can't sleep without one!!" Ichigo shouted, finally losing it.

"But Ichigo, I _told_ you, I kinda need it to sleep peacefully, especially in a new bed!" she said disdainfully, jerking a thumb towards the closet. _"If you can even call it that," _she thought.

"Che, go ask Inoue for a better bed tomorrow then, _your highness_, cuz there's no way in HELL that I'm gonna have you stay here for two friggin' months!" He shouted, "So there's no need for me to get you a Chappy," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"How about tonight, Ichigo?" she whined, eyes getting watery (obviously a ploy to get him to buy it for her).

"Like I care."

That remark earned him another kick to the face, how she managed to kick that high when she's a head shorter than him, he'll never know.

"Ow! Alright, alright, how 'bout a compromise?" he huffed, taking a defensive stance as he looked around for something. He handed her a lion plushie. "Here."

"Eh!? You expect me to sleep with this ratty thing? And… it says on the tag that his name is Kon, handwritten. You named him??? Ha ha ha ha! How cute, Ichigo! Did you have this piece of junk since you were a kid or something? And you still have it? Ha ha ha ha!"

"Bitch. Like you're one to talk," he said, turning red, " 'Oh, I just absolutely need a Chappy, please Ichigo, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!' " he scoffed.

That earned yet another kick for mean little Ichigo. He turned redder, if that was possible, with anger, and his eye started twitching. "Rukia…" he began dangerously, "you do realize you are absolutely homeless for the night without me, right?"

Her eyes widened. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, yes."

"Bit—"

"Ah ah ah… now what did I just say? Now just go to sleep in your closet and leave me alone." His voice was deathly quiet, but he didn't seem too serious. Even still, Rukia didn't want to risk it, but couldn't resist calling him a "cold-hearted, mean, lion-lover, evil bunny hater bastard," along with a well-placed kick to his ass before hopping into her closet.

Ichigo swore, and threw the lion plushie, "Kon" into the closet after her. She, in turn, threw the stupid lion towards the foot of her makeshift bed.

"'Night, Rukia," Ichigo yawned, completely forgetting about the earlier mood.

"Che. Night." Rukia huffed, her muffled voice just barely escaping the confines of the closet. Little did she know that the plushie would inexplicably end up on her chest when she woke up.

XXXXX 

**A/N: yay!!! Heh heh, Kon. No, he isn't alive, unless somebody wants him to be, and can find a decent reason **_**why**_** on earth Ichigo would possess a living, breathing, plushie.**


	5. The Aftermath

**The Aftermath**

"Ughhhhhhhhh. Didn't. Much. Sleep. _—Groan—_ "Ichigo moaned, sad over his lack of sleep (which was rare) and wondering why. Huh. There wasn't the idiot father's usual attack to his sleeping head. So why was he still so tired? And why did he wake up? Oh no. Maybe he spoke too quickly. Maybe there _was _his father trying to attack, since there was an idiot jumping on his bed, shouting "Wake up, Ichigo! We're going to be late! WAKE UP GODDAMMIT!!!!"

"…Hmmmmmm… five more minutes…"

"No, you moron! It's already 7:45! We're going to be late you fucking moron!"

"Huh!? 45? Shit!" Ichigo shouted, eyes bulging at the sight of his clock.

"Ichi-nii, is somebody up here? I heard some shouting," Yuzu popped her head inside the door, an eyebrow raised in concern.

"W—What the hell are you doing, Yuzu? Didn't I tell you to knock before you enter?" Ichigo shouted, trying not to pay attention to the girl who just managed to run inside his closet, with the doors still open (you know how Ichi's room is set up).

"Jeez, Ichi-nii became so mean since he started high school," Yuzu half-heartedly complained, puffing out her cheek.

"No I haven't. And I was just having a nightmare," Ichigo said, a semi-bored expression on his face.

"Um. 'Kay." She said uncertainly as she left.

Ichigo walked towards the closet and closed the door in Rukia's face, much to her protests.

"Hey, I'm going to change. Unless you're looking for a free show, shut up and get ready too."

"Hmph. Whatever."

"Ooooooi! Ichigo!" Keigo shouted, along with the usual welcoming party of Mizuro and Chad (but Chad didn't say anything).

"SHIT!" Ichigo gasped, forgetting that they would come and meet him in the morning.

"Shit? Ichigo, you're so mean! That's what you say when you first see us?!" cried Keigo, tears streaming down his face.

"Shut up."

"Fine! I see how it is! Whatever! It's not like I care or anything!" Keigo shouted, raising an accusing finger up to Ichigo's window.

"Shut up," Ichigo said, yet again. "I'll be down in a minute."

"Rukia!" Ichigo hissed at his closet, making sure the idiot outside wouldn't hear, "When I leave, leave through the window about one or two minutes later. If you want, you can catch up to us so you won't be late. Just say your new house is back from the direction you came, alright?"

"Che. Don't tell me what to do, bitch."

"Ungrateful little… Whatever! Just make sure my family doesn't see you and that my friends don't suspect that you've been here. Or see you come out, for that matter."

"Yeah sure. Whatever." Rukia said, scowling.

Ichigo practically ran out of his house, dragging his friends with him, and trying to fend off Keigo's morning greeting, whether it be a perverted comment or… no, just the perverted comments. Rukia left a minute after, jumping down from the window ledge with surprising ease. She ran down the street, catching up with Ichigo and co.

"Ahh, Kuchiki-san! What a lovely day it is, isn't it? Well, of course it's nothing compared to—uph!"

"Shut up, Keigo."

"Ah… Ohio, Asano-san, Sado-san, Kojima-kun, Kurosaki-kun!" she said sweetly. Ichigo ran over to some of the bushes, unable to contain his breakfast any longer. A bit of an exaggeration, but yeah, her acting was that bad.

"Ohio, Kuchiki-san!" they responded in unison, save Chad and Ichigo.

The rest of the walk to school consisted of Ichigo punching Keigo for saying perverted comments and his conversation with Mizuiro, Keigo's perverted comments, and the lack of comments from Chad.

XXXXXXXX 

"Ohio, Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue shouted across the classroom in her usual joyful manner.

"Ah, ohio, Inoue." Ichigo said, walking past her with the usual amount of attention.

"Ohio, Inoue, Tatsuki (she didn't like her surname)!" Rukia said, walking towards them.

"Ohio, Kuchiki-san!" they answered.

"Hey, did you do the homework last night, Inoue? I didn't really understand the math part…"

Ichigo rolled his eyes, still not completely understanding why the hell Rukia had to do her horrible act every time she was around other people. Personally, he preferred her act to the real her, however nauseous her acting made him feel. It was safer for him. Why he was the lucky one she acted herself around, he didn't know. Honestly, he may have a bruise from yesterday. He followed Keigo and Mizuiro towards the corner of the class.

"Hey, Ichigo, that Kuchiki-san really is cute, huh?" Keigo asked, eyes widening in excitement.

"Eh? You're still on about her? I told you, she's just way too short!" Ichigo sighed, bothered by Keigo's five-minute attention span in girls. _"And violent,"_ he thought, grimacing.

"I don't care! She's cute! The only girl for me is Kuchiki-san! And Inoue! And big chested girls everywhere!"

See? Five-minute attention span.

"Okay, mina! I have a couple of surprises for today!" the teacher shouted, "First off, we have a pop quiz on math today!" Rukia paled. "Secondly, we're going to start that science project I was telling you about. What I didn't tell you was that you're going to have a partner," she paused as the cheers died down. "Ha ha… you should let me finish. _I'm_ going to assign the partners."

The whole class groaned. Ichigo swore. _"Please not her, please not her…"_

"Asano and Kojima."

"Please not her, please not her…" 

"Tatsuki and Inoue."

"_Please not her, please not her…"_

"Sado and Ishida."

"_Please not her, please not her…"_

"Hitsuguya and Hinamori."

"_Please not her, please not her…"_

"Matsumoto and Hisagi."

"_Please not her, please not her…"_

The teacher rattled off some more names that Ichigo didn't even recognize as classmates (he really is horrible with names).

"Kuchiki and Kurosaki."

"FUCK!" two voices resonated throughout the now quiet classroom.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**A/N: Yay! This chapter was actually hard to write… notice how nothing really happened? Ahh, I'm sorry! **_**—Begs for forgiveness— **_

**Muah ha ha ha! Rukia's not going to move out (in case it wasn't obvious. I would never keep them apart!) **

**Grr. Notice my horrible attempt to introduce some more characters?**

**Notice **_**my **_**five minute attention span? Ha ha I can't talk about one subject for longer than one line.**

**REVIEW PLEASE!! I have this great idea! I'm offering my A/N area as an advertising area! Anyone who reviews can leave a story title of theirs and I'll advertise it in my author notes!! Yay! Hmm. Is this even allowed? Ha ha, well, if it's not, I'm just kidding. If it is (yup. This author's a sellout even before she even has an official publication), may I try to further convince you by saying that this reward is much better than promises of cookies? (not that I hate cookies or anything)**

**Um, sorry. I think the next chapter may take a while to update. I've prewritten these chapters by about one chapter (meaning that I've written one chap ahead of what you see) but this ends now, which is why I posted 2 up at once. So yeah, the next chap may take a while.**


	6. Annoying AN I've Forgotten to Add

**Annoying A/N I've Forgotten to Add**

Umm, anybody have any good ideas? Cause if I don't get a good plotline, I'm just going to do what I planned to do in the beginning and have Ichigo and Rukia blunder about while strengthening their relationship. Actually, this whole story is leading up to the moment when the song is used. The lyrics are so perfect for their shinigami selves that it's scary. It's kinda like Harry Potter, for those who read. The characters do some random shit throughout the school year, and then battle evil. Sigh. The actual moment this story is leading up to is unoriginal, so don't expect too much outta it. But I _do_ have this great idea for a new story, which is somewhat original, I'm hoping. Advertising. Heh heh.

Preview!!

Or at least what's going to happen, sorta.

Ichigo and Rukia stay together, for the sake of doing their project.

The project is due on a day that Ichigo isn't too happy with, but when the teacher told of the day, Ichigo wasn't paying attention, so he doesn't know it yet. Ties into why Ichigo is hesitant to help strangers, as an answer to ginsensu's first review. Shh, don't tell anyone if you've guessed it. Like you can, without seeming completely random for pming people about this story.

Oh, and sorry if I don't respond to your reviews. I'm horrible. I forgot who I responded to, and I'm not sure how I can tell XD.


End file.
